Condenser



June 3, 1930.

I. H. REYNOLDS CONDENSER Filed Sept. 21, 1929 Patented June 3," 1930 v UNETE STATEs.

IRVING H. REYNOLDS, or I'LIL UKEE WIsooNsI ASSIGKOR'YTO ALMLISTCHALMERS I AUKEE, isconsin, .A CORPORATION or MANUFACTURING COMPANY, or MILW DELAW RE 7 .AppI icatien filed September 21, 1929. seri l m5. 394.170.

' present invention relatesin general to improvements in" the art of heat transfer,

and relates more specifically to" 'improvements in. the construction and operation of steam condensers of the type v generally known as surface condensers.

An object ofhe inventlon is to provide an improved method of distributing the filed May 10, '1926 discloses instrumentalities for securing the desired distribution of steam throughout the tube area'of a'surface condenser withrthe aid of adjustabledeflector plates or dampers located in. passages or lanes formed between groups of the heat transferrin tubes. Whilefthes'e adjustable dampers e ectively accomplish their; purpose as far as distribution of the steam is concerned in a condenser wherein the steam is admittedflto' the inlet opening in fa relatively' uniform mannerfthey do not take care of distribution of nally ofthe tubes; I I V 7 It is a more specificobject of the present invention to provideimprovements 'in distributing mechanisms such as disclosed in the said application,"whereby relativelyuniform and highly effective distribution of the steam thr'oughout'the length of'the'tubes may be effected, as well as-laterallythroughout the banks orfgroupsoftubes. With the aid of the present invention, the; distribution of the steamthroughout theheat transferring. area may be made uniform 'regardless of the fact that the 1distribution'1of steam at the inlet openingof the condenser may not be uniform; Such lack of uni- .formity in admission often 'results in cases where the steam is delivered from a vertical or horizontalengine such as' aturbinef, to .a condenser wherein the steam passes from the inlet toward the discharge at an angle to the direction of flow in the engine.

:The major portion .of the steam tends to follow the direction of its course through the turbine, thereby causing greater quan- .tities of steam toenter the spaces between the condenser tubes at a point remotefrom shown in Fig.1. v the steam longitudiconnnnsne.

the discharge land: of the turbine,-'than di'g .rectlyat'suchend. e V a: a

Someof the novel features of steam dis;

tributing mechanism disclosed but not spe f 1 'cifically claimed herein, form? the subject tion hereinabove referred to.

atterof claims in the copendin'g applica- A clear conception of several ejmbodiinents of the present ,imp'rove mentjand of the modeof constructing andmanipulating devices inaccordanoe therewith, may be had by referringto the drawing accompanying I and forming a partof this specification in which like reference'charact'ers designate the'same "or similar partsin the several views.

Fig. ,1 is" a relatively diagrammatjic'een r tral longitudinal section-through a surface condenser. having the improvement applied r therein. I V v "Fig. 2 is a relatively diagrammaticftrans T the condenser verse ivertical section through Fig. 3 is a relatlvely diagrammatic transverse-vertical section through. a surface co'ndenser having another form'of the inventionfappliedtherein.

- Fig 's an enlargedend vie'w'of the mechanism for distributing the steam throughout the condenser. l, Referrin specifically to" Q 1, the im'- pr'oved-sur' ace condensenillustrated therein,

comprises ineneral-a' main shell or casing 2 sometimes ormed elliptical in cross-section, and having a plurality of parallel heat transferring. tubes 3 extending'throughout thelength thereof; The tubes 3 are ordi-' narily supplied with cooling water from an inlet head 6 and the water is delivered from the engine is deliveredto, the tubes 3, and

the water of condensation' which accumulates in the space 19 at the lower endof the casing 2is discharged to a'hot well through a connection 5 disposed at the lowermost portion of the condenser shell. The space,

within the casing 2 is dividedinto segregated compartments 16, 17, 1 8, by means of vertical partitions 11,- 12 through which the and 2, the vertical lane 13 intersects the horizontal lanes 14, 15 at about the center of the shell 2. Located directly adjacent to the junction between the lanes 13, 14, 15,

' and within each'of the compartments 16, 17,

18, is a set of flow controlling platesor dampers. Swhich are adjustable to either divert the steam entering the central lane 13 laterally tothe horizontal lanes 14, 15, or to permit'dir'eot passage of some or all of this steam downwardly and laterally away fromthe lane 13 to the groups of tubes located below the horizontal lanes 14, 15. The

dampers 81ineachcompartmentltl, 17, 18

extend throughout the length of the compartm'ent, and aremounted to swing about pivots 23. which are supported by means of fixedbrackets 22. One damper 8 ofeach set is *providedwith an actuating arm 24 having. a pin 25 which cooperates with a slot 26 formed inthe end of a similar arm 24 secured to the other damper 8 of each set. An actuating or adjusting rod 9 cooperates with one damper 8 of each set, and extends laterally through the wall of the casing 2, being provided at its outer extremity with suitable actuating. means such as an adjusting hand wheel 10. By turning the hand .wheel 10 from the exterior of the shell 2,

the dampers 8 may be adjusted from vertical as shown in Fig. 2' to inclined position as shown in Fig. 4:, or to any intermediate position so .as to direct either all or any portion of the steam entering the central lane 13 throughout the heat transferring space of eachcompartment 16, 17 18.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 3, the groups of tubes 3 are separated by several vertical lanes 20 and a horizontal lane 21. Sets of adjustable dampers 8 are disposed within the upper ends of each of the vertical lanes 20, and similar sets of dampers may also vbe disposedat the intersections of the vertical and horizontal lanes, or at any other point, if so desired. In this embodiment it will be apparent that the steam entering the inlet opening 4 may be elfectively distributed in anydesired manner, throughout the groups of tubes 3 by controlling the admission of more orless steam to the lanes 20, -21.

-; When utilizing the invention, the dampers 8 may be adjusted so as to most effectively distribute the entering steam throughout the heat transferring area of the tubes 3. The

dampers 8 of each compartment 16, 17, 18

ously be located at any desired position throughout the condenser, and any number of steam distributing lanes may obviously be provided. It will thus be noted that the invention provides means for effectively preventing the passage of uncondensed steam to the hot well, thus insuring maximum efficiency in operation of the condenser.

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact details of construction and operation herein shown and described, for various modifications within the scope of the appended claims may occur to persons skilled in the art.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In combination, a casing, means dividing said easing into compartments groups of tubes within each of said compartments separated by lanes, and means for independently. controlling the flow of fluid through said lanes in each of said compartments.

1 2. In combination, a casing, means dividing said casing into laterally adjoining compartments, groups of tubes disposedwithin each of said compartments, said groups being separated by lanes extending transversely throughsaid compartments, and adjustable means .for independently controlling the flow of steam through saidlanes in each of said compartments. 7

3. In combination, a casing-partitions. dividing said casing into segregated compartments, groups of tubes within each of said compartments separated by lanes, and adjustable dampers for independently controlling the fiow of fluid through said lanes in each of said compartments.

4. In combination, a casing having a top inlet and a lower outlet, .means dividing said casing into compartments independently communicable 'with said inlet, groups of tubes within each of said compartments separated by lanes communicating with said inlet, and adjustable means for independently controlling the flow of steam from said inlet to said lanes in each of said compartments. 7 i' 5. In combination, a casing having an inlet communicable with all portions of the interior of said casing, partitions dividing said casing into compartments communicating directly with said inlet, groups of tubes spanning each of said compartments and separated from each other by lanes communicating with said inlet and movable means Within said lanes for independently controlling the floW of steam through each 01": said compartments.

' In testimony whereof, the signature of the inventor is afiixed hereto.

IRVING H. REYNOLDS. 

